This application is based on Application Nos. 9-220518, 9-220475, 9221438 and 9-231103 filed in Japan, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image formation apparatuses and in particular to an image formation apparatus which processes information on image formation depending on the image data within the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, digital copiers have been used for printing images. In a digital copier, a read image can be stored in a memory and image printing can be provided independently of and simultaneously with image reading. A digital copier with such multi-job function that allows image printing and image reading to be provided independently of each other has it a function allowing a plurality of users to input images to register jobs and print the images in the order in which the jobs are registered. A digital copier also allows image data to be internally digitalized. Thus it can readily be connected to a network and thus allows a job to be registered from an external equipment via the network.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-38865 discloses an image formation apparatus which prints out an image depending on the image data externally transmitted and stored in a memory. An application to facsimile has a hold-for-reception function referred to as a hold-for-reception by memory which allows data to be stored in a memory of the receiving facsimile when the facsimile runs out of sheets.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-134511 discloses a technique which allows an interruption to a job currently executed in a copier with multi-job function only when there is small time difference between the execution time of the job and that of a set job.
However, a job which the external equipment requests to be registered may not be accepted depending on the utilization of the memory in the image formation apparatus.
An image formation apparatus such as a digital copier with a conventional memory, a printer device connected to e.g., a computer, a facsimile and the like the memory of which is full or the fun capacity of the memory of which is used when a network requests registration of a job and the data of an image is input or is being input, signals to the external equipment requesting printing the image that the registration of the job cannot be accepted.
If the image formation apparatus is controlled by a computer, the user can respond to such a signal to operate the computer controlling the image formation apparatus so that one of a plurality of image formation apparatuses that is allowed to print an image is selected to change the image formation apparatus requested to print the image and re-registration of a job can be set when a certain period of time elapses. However, the user does not know which one of the plurality of image formation apparatuses is accepting job registration and when it can accept job registration. The user can select an image formation apparatus allowed to print images through repeated trial and error, which is an extremely troublesome procedure and the user cannot print images efficiently.
Furthermore, such a conventional image formation apparatus that is selected for a request to print an image while accepting jobs may require a significantly long time to complete all of the jobs that have been registered in the image formation apparatus. If job is registered in the image formation apparatus, the user may have to wait for a significantly long time. Printing images with such an image formation apparatus is very inefficient if another image formation apparatus which is allowed to execute the job earlier is also connected.
Generally it is often the case for copiers with multi-job function that the original transport unit automatically setting original sheets one by one at the reading station to read an image on an original sheet is installed in the image reader. However, when the image reader is being used, a new job cannot be registered.
Furthermore, if the memory in such copier with multi-job function is full, the copier cannot accept requested job registrations.
In order to cause the copier to print an image as soon as possible when the job for the image cannot be registered, the user has to wait until the use of the image reader completes or a free memory space is available for the original newly read. Thus, image-printing by the user depends on the state of the apparatus, which can be inconvenient for the user.
Therefore one object of the present invention is to provide an image formation apparatus allowing users to form images efficiently.
Another object of the present invention is to allow users to efficiently form images in an image formation apparatus connected to an external equipment.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an image formation apparatus that allows users to form images more conveniently.
Still another object of the present invention is to allow users to efficiently form images in an image formation system in which a plurality of image formation apparatuses are connected.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by an image formation apparatus which includes the following elements. That is, an image formation apparatus according to the present invention includes a display device, an image forming station which receives data for forming an image and forms the image depending on the received data, and a processor which calculates the capacity of data for forming an image and displays the calculated capacity of the data on the display device.
The capacity of read image data that is counted and displayed allows the user to know how much free capacity in the image formation apparatus is required to allow the image to be formed. Knowing the respective free capacities of image formation apparatuses allows the image to be formed by the image formation apparatus that can form the image earliest and the image can thus be formed efficiently.
In another aspect of the present invention, an image formation apparatus connected to an external equipment includes an image forming station which receives data for forming an image and forms the image depending on the received data, an interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from the external device, and a processor calculating the capacity of image data for forming an image, wherein the data indicative of the capacity of the image data calculated by the processor is transmitted to the external device via the interface.
The capacity of read image data that is counted and transmitted to the connected external device allows the user to know how much free capacity in the image formation apparatus is required to allow the image to be formed. Knowing the respective free capacities of image formation apparatuses allows the image to be formed by the image formation apparatus that can form the image earliest and the image is thus formed efficiently.
In still another aspect of the present invention, an image formation apparatus includes a display, a memory for storage of data for forming an image, an image forming station which forms an image depending on the data stored in the memory, and a processor which determines whether data for forming an image can be stored in the memory and displays on the display device an indication for urging a reservation to store the data in the memory when the processor determines that the data cannot be stored in the memory.
When image data cannot be stored in the memory, the order in which the image data is stored in the memory is reserved to secure the memory space for storage of the image data. It is thus unnecessary for the user to conventionally wait for completion of processes of the image formation apparatus until the storage in the memory is allowed, to allow the image formation apparatus to form the image as soon as possible, and the reservation of the order in which the image data is stored in the memory allows the user to form the image more conveniently.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a management system for management of first and second image formation apparatuses, the management system being connected to the first and second image formation apparatuses each forming an image depending on the image-forming data stored in a memory provided therein, includes an interface for data communication between the first and second image formation apparatuses, and a processor which determines which of the first and second image formation apparatuses can form images depending on the data received from said first and second image formation apparatuses via the interface and indicative of the respective states of the memories of the first and second image formation apparatuses.
The processor of the management system receives from each of a plurality of image formation apparatuses the information on the memory depending on which the processor controls image formation in the plurality of image formation apparatuses.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.